Development of a consumer involvement strategy for a small university-based musculoskeletal research centre

To develop a Consumer Involvement Strategy which adheres to best practice recommendations and is feasible to implement in a small musculoskeletal research centre funded solely by external grants.

The Strategy development involved five collaborative and iterative stages: (1) conceptualisation and initial consultation; (2) formation of the Consumer Involvement Strategy Action Group; (3) defining the scope and developing the strategy; (4) consultation and refinement; and (5) presentation and implementation. The final three stages were overseen by a Consumer Involvement Strategy Action Group comprising two post-doctoral research fellows, a PhD student representative, and two consumers (people with osteoarthritis), all with experience in consumer involvement activities in research.

The final strategy aligns with best practice recommendations and includes five unique levels of consumer involvement that were devised to encompass the wide variety of consumer involvement activities across the research centre. It includes a policy document with five strategic aims, each supported by an implementation plan, and includes a suite of resources for researchers and consumers to support its application.

The Consumer Involvement Strategy and its described development may serve as a template for other research teams facing similar resource constraints, both at a national and international level.